The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) is considering implementing news rules that would make it harder to use a burner phone anonymously.
The changes, which would require carriers to gather more data than previously to start service, are part of a push to reduce robocalls. However, it’s running into some serious opposition from a number of groups who are worried about the implications of stripping away so much privacy (via Android Authority).
There are good reasons for secrecy
The FCC first mentioned these proposals earlier this month as part of an effort to cut down on the annoying robocalls and scams we all hate.
The requirements proposed as an option would see carriers collecting information like a customer’s name, address, government-issued ID number, and an alternate contact number. That information could then be used by various enforcement agencies in order to track down bad actors.
However, burner phones are often used by people in desperate situations, and the plans have come under fire from a number of groups that support domestic abuse survivors.
Representatives from the National Network to End Domestic Violence and the Kansas Coalition Against Sexual & Domestic Violence have raised their concerns with the FCC, arguing that these rules would make it harder for survivors to escape from threatening situations.
As domestic violence survivors often have to uproot their entire lives to leave, that includes a new phone number along with everything else.
Lodging all the information above with a carrier can only jeopardize their potential safety by making it easier for abusers to find those new details. And at that point, the survivor’s safety is strongly compromised, likely without them even being aware of it.
There are also other problems with the new rules. As scammers rarely use their own identities, it’s very likely any submitted details would be stolen, and the proposals may lead to more problems for innocent people whose identities may have been stolen.
The fight against robocalls and scams is a tough one, and there’s no easy answer to deal with these problems. While the proposal may have initially seemed like a clever way to help, there are always legitimate reasons to buy a burner phone that have nothing to do with breaking the law.
Hopefully the FCC is able to find a way around this, perhaps by giving certain charities and groups the ability to designate themselves as the contact point.
However, that is not a perfect solution, as it still gives a lead to anyone looking for one.
